Billet turner accessory for rolling mills



y 25, 1965 A. w. JOHNSON 3,185,329

BILLET TURNER ACCESSORY FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed Feb. 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HVVEN TOR. A R THUR W. JOHNSON Attorney y 25, 1965 A. w. JOHNSON 3,185,329

BILLET TURNER ACCESSORY FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed Feb. 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o o 4 o o o o o 0 l4 0 o o o 0 o o 16- 2s 28 O I f I8 o K A 0 rfl o 6 Q o /o 30 INVEN TOR. ARTHUR K. JOHNSON A I farney United States Patent 3,185,329 BILLET TURNER ACCESSORY FOR ROLLING lVIILLS Arthur W. Johnson, 3851 W. 61st St., Chicago 20, 111. Filed Feb. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 259,263 1 Claim. (Cl. 214-340) The present invention relates generally to rolling mill accessories and more particularly to a turning apparatus especially suitable for installation in a hot rolling mill for turning steel bars, billets, blooms and the like about their longitudinal axes.

In the hot rolling of products from billets, the billet is usually heated to rolling temperature in a reheating furnace and then fed from the reheating furnace into the rolling mill. To achieve optimum initial rolling conditions it is desirable to turn the billet about its longitudinal axis so that its hottest surface faces upwardly before it enters the first stand of the rolling mill. Prior to my invention this was usually done manually by means of a long-handled wrench or similar tool. This practice caused a certain amount of delay in mill operation and also exposed the workman manipulating the billet to hazardous conditions which could cause injury. Some devices have been devised to perform the turning operation by mechanical means. However, to my knowledge, none of these have proved completely satisfactory since they were slow and uncertain in operation and incapable of turning the billet completely in one operation.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of my invention to provide an improved accessory for a hot rolling mill for turning an elongated object continuously about its longitudinal axis to present a desired surface thereof in upward position.

It is another object of my invention to provide an apparatus of the character described which is fast and positive in operation.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an apparatus of the character described which is rugged and simple in structure and is relatively inexpensive to construct.

It is still another object of my invention to provide an apparatus of the character set forth by the preceding objects which can be easily installed in association with existing rolling mills.

These and other objects will become more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line H-II of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line IVIV of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIGURE 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 designates generally the turning apparatus of the invention which is shown interposed between two rollers R of a delivery roller conveyor C associated with a rolling mill (not shown). Billets are delivered singly by the roller conveyor to the rolling mill. The turning device of the invention functions to selectively turn a billet about its longitudinal axis in any desired are up to 360 de- "ice grees before the billet enters the first stand of the rolling mill.

The turning apparatus 2 includes an elongated housing 4 disposed with its longitudinal axis extending transversely of the roller conveyor C between two rollers R thereof. The housing 4 rests on a base frame 6 which is disposed below the top level of the rollers R, as best shown in FIGURE 2. A pair of spaced plates 8 project upwardly from the base frame 6 adjacent one end thereof and each carries a pillow block 10 secured thereto. A shaft 12 extends between and has its ends journaled in the pillow blocks 10. One end 14 of the housing 4 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 12 between the pillow blocks. Anti-friction bearings 15 are interposed between the housing and the shaft. The opposite end 16 of the housing 4 is pivotally connected with the projecting end of a piston rod 18 of a fluid-pressure cylinder 20 which in turn is mounted on an extension of the base frame 6.

A rotary member or tumbler 22 having sprocket teeth 26 spaced around its circumference and an aperture 24 extending axially therethrough is mounted for rotation in the housing 4 in the path of billets traveling on the roller conveyor C.

A driving sprocket wheel 28 is keyed to the shaft 12 for rotation therewith in the end 14 of the housing 4 and an idler sprocket wheel 30 is journaled in the housing between the rotary member 22 and the sprocket wheel 28. An endless sprocket chain 32 is reeved around the driving sprocket wheel 28, idler sprocket wheel 30 and the teeth 26 on the rotary member 22. The shaft 12 is connected with and driven by a gear-motor 34 which is supported on an extension of the base frame 6.

In operation, the roller conveyor C delivers a billet B approximately half way through the aperture 24 in the rotary member 22. Guides 36 may be provided on the roller conveyor for conducting the billet to and from the aperture 24. After the billet has been thus delivered into the aperture, the roller conveyor is stopped and the fluidpressure cylinder 20 is energized to project piston rod 18. Projection of piston rod 18 causes the housing 4 to pivot about shaft 12 and the end 16 of the housing to be lifted from the base frame a sufficient distance to raise the billet B above the rollers R, as shown by broken lines in FIG URE 2. With the billet in raised position, gear-motor 34 is energized to rotate shaft 12 and drive sprocket wheel 28 until the desired surface of the billet is in uppermost position. After the billet has been turned to the desired position, the gear-motor is stopped to halt rotation of shaft 12, cylinder 20 is de-energized to lower end 16 of the housing 4, and the roller conveyor is actuated to deliver the turned billet into the rolling mill (not shown).

An important advantage of my invention is its capability of handling billets or blooms, without the use of inserts, in a wide range of sizes limited only by the size of the aperture 24.

Although I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

Apparatus for turning an elongated object having a substantially rectangular cross section about its longitudinal axis which comprises a base frame, an elongated housing pivoted by one end to said base frame, fluid pressure means connected with the end of said housing op- 3 posite the pivoted end thereof for pivoting the housing toward and away from said base frame, a rotary member in said housing having a substantially rectangular opening therethrough adapted to receive said object, said opening havinga cross sectional area greater than the cross sectional area of said object, and driving means in said housing connected with said rotary member for rotating the same selectively in any are up to 360 degrees in one continuous rotation, said driving means including a rotatable shaft journaled in said base frame, said housing being pivoted on said shaft, a sprocket mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, endless propelling means reeved around said rotary member and said sprocket, and power References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 333,431 12/85 Treat 80-53 449,511 3/91 Aiken 8053 1,905,477 4/33 Luce 8053 2,919,011 12/59 Tocher 8053 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. 

